Means for forming fourdrinier-wire seams.



A. B. WEISSENBORN.

MEANS FOR FORMING FOURDRINIER W IRE SEAMS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- IB. I914.

Patented Dec. 19,1916.

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A. B. WEISSENBORN,

MEANS FOR FORMING FOURDRINIER WIRE SEAMS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18, I914. 1,209,364. Patented Dec.19,1916

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WI TNEJJiS I I. l/VVEZ/Tfili Mum Mi I UNITED STATES FAEENT OFF EQJFEO ALBERT B. WEISSENBORN, OE APPLETON, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO APPLETON WIRE VJORKS, OF APPLETON, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WIS- CONSIN.

MEANS FOR FORMING FOURDEINIER-WIRE SEAMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1916.

Application filed November 18, 1914. Serial No. 872,714.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT B. WVnIssnN- BORN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Appleton, in the county of Outagamie and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Means for Forming Fourdrinier-VVire Seams, of which'the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention has for its object to produce a Fourdrinier wire seam by overcastboth edges of the wire fabric while the ends thereof are positioned one against the other, with the edges together, so that when straightened out into a common plane the stitching wire binds them together without materially obstructing the open mesh thereof, or increasing the thickness of the fabric at the seam.

An object of the invention is to provide clamping means for holding the edges of the wire fabric in position to receive the stitches, and capable of adjustment for moving one end of the fabric with relation to the other, either longitudinally or laterally in order to obtain the necessary registration thereof to enable the stitching wire to be passed through the proper interstices of both ends of the fabric; and also capable of adjustment with respect to each other for giving greater or less tension to the portions of the fabric held between them.

Another. object of the invention is to form the overcasting stitch around a removable loop-gaging wire to regulate the size of the loop formed by the stitching wire in the overcasting operation so that when the stitching is completed such loops are of sufficient length to permit one end .of the fabric to be si -rung with relation to the other end of the fabric into the same plane therewith, and desirably into end abutment therewith. 7

Another object of the invention is to perfeet details of construction of the fabric clamping means.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the means for forming Fcurdrinier wire seams as herein claimed and all equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like characters of reference indicate the same parts in the different views: Figure l is a plan view of the clamping means holding between them the ends of the Fourdrinier wire in position for receiving the stitching operation in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof with parts shown in section; Fig. 3 is a side view of the traveling clamp sectioned longitudinally; Fig.' at is an end view of the stationary clamp; Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a fragment of the edges of the wire fabric positioned to receive the stitching operation; Fig. 6 is a plan view thereof with the stitching wire in place, and the loop-gaging wire shown in dotted lines; Fig, 7 is a sectional View through the edges of'the fabric, on the plane of line 77 of Fig. 6; and, Fig. 8 is'a plan view of the completed seam with the edges of the wire fabric swung into the same plane and the stitching wire pressed fiat.

In these drawings 10 indicates a suitable work table for supporting the wire fabric to be stitched, and having a projecting ledge along the working edge thereof, and a dovetailed guide strip 11 secured to the apron of the table beneath said ledge. A slide 12 ismountcd on the dovetailed guide strip 11 by having a dovetailed groove in the rear surface thereof fitting upon the dovetailed shoulders of the guide strip; and a clamping screw 13 on the slide engaging the guide strip serves to clamp the slide in any position to which it may be moved.

A bracket arm 14 projects from the slide 12 and forms a support for one of the wire clamps. A lower stationary member 15. and an upper movable jaw member 16 with their connecting means and their adjusting means constitute the wire clamp referred to, the lower jaw member 15 being rigidly secured. to the bracket arm 14 by means of screws, as shown, or in any other desirable manner. The lower jaw member 15 has a screw rod 17 slidably mounted through a pair of upstanding lugs 18 on the end thereof, and a nut 19 threaded on the screw rod between the lugs 18 serves to adjust the screw rod longitudinally toward or away from the work table 10. A connecting block 20 is pivotally connected between a pair of cars on the end of the screw rod 17 with a horizontal pivotal axis, while it is also pivotally connected between a pair of ears on sliding the end of the upper jaw member 16 with a vertical pivotal axis, so as to constitute a universal joint connecting the upper jaw member with the adjustable screw rod. The lower jaw member 15 has an arch 21 spanning the stem of the upper jaw member 16, and sufficient space is allowed between the arch and the stem of the upper jaw member to permit of the latter moving vertically or horizontally. A coil spring 22 is housed within a pocket formed in the lower jaw member 15 and bears against the upper jaw member 16, while a clamping screw 23, threaded through the top of the arch 21, engages the upper jaw member to force it downwardly against the, action of the spring for closing the jaw members. Other screws 2% are threaded in the opposite sides of the arch 21 and engage the respective sides of the stem of the upper aw member so that the upper jaw member may be adjusted laterally in either direction by the turning of the said screws 24:.

At the end of the work table is another wire clamp similar in construction to the one just described, with the exception of the means for mounting it on the table. A C- shaped table clamp 25 is engaged with the .ledge of the work table with its clamping screw 26 clamped against the bottom of the ledge, and a screw rod 27, which is threaded in the end of the lower jaw member 15 of this second clamp, has a portion square in cross section fitting within similarly shaped notches in the pair of vertical flanges on the front of clamp 25 so as to be capable of therethrough without turning. Cleats 28 close the notches and prevent the screw rod becoming lost therefrom, while a coil spring 29 surrounding the screw rod 27 and confined between the lower jaw member 15 and the clamp 25 tends to slide the screw rod in one direction, while a nut 30 threaded on the end of the screw rod and engaging the clamp 25 limits such tendency V and serves as a means for moving the second wire clamp bodily with respect to the first wire clamp to vary the tensionon the wire fabric held between them. 7 i r In the operation of producing a seam for Fourdrinier wires and the like with the clamping means of this invention the wire fabric, with its two ends A and B trimmed,

is placed upon the work table, the ends being brought together, one upon the other,

7 at the working edge of the table with their edges in approxmiate registration, as shown in Fig.5, and are thus clamped between the .upper and lower jaw members'of the two wire clamps which are'positioned a short distance apart, small plates 31 of thin sheet metal being placed between the edges of r the wire fabric at the places ofrengagement to'prevcnt the enga ement ofcth'e knuckles ofthe two ends of t Wire fabric interfer 1 ing with adjustment of one end upon the other to effect proper registration thereof. With the wire clamps set sufliciently tight to hold the ends of the wire fabric for adjusting purposes the wire clamp at the end 24, thus moving the upper end of the wire fabric forwardly or reamvardly until when examined under a magnifying glass it is shown that the edge of the upper end of the fabric is directly above the edge of the lower end thereof. hen this is accomplished it may be found that the interstices of the two ends of the fabric are not in registration and, therefore, a longitudinal adjustment of the upper jaw member 16 of this wire clamp may be effected by turning the nut 19 thereof to slide the upper jaw member slightly to the right or to the left until such registration is accomplished. In the same 7 manner the adjustments of the upper jaw member of the traveling wire clamp may be made to produce registration between the desired tension may be produced on the fabric held between the two wire clamps by adjusting the nut 30 to move the end wire clamp bodily toward or away from the traveling wire clamp. With such adjustment accomplished-the stitching operation may begin. 7 V 1 The edges of the fabric at the'ends of the seam may be reinforced as a preliminary operation in order to strengthen theseam at the selvage where it is subject to the greatest strain, but the seam of this invention does not depend upon such reinforcement and it is, therefore, not shown. f V r The stitching operation is performed by inserting a stitching wire-32 through one of theopeningspreferablv of the second row of openings from the edge of the fabric, and because of the registratlon of the two edges of the fabric the stitching wire also passes through the corresponding opening of the lower ed eof the fabric...A" loo agin9" t i. D c 0 other 7 openingin V the fabric, preferably the V 7 second opening from the one before used in the same line; and this operation is repeated as an overcast1ngoperat1on until near the travelmg wire clamp'andthen such elampis released from its engagement with the fabric.

b loosening the screw 23, afterhaving its clamping screw 13 loosened is moved along the guide strip 11 to a new position farther along the edges of the fabric where it is a ain clamped to the guide strip 11 and is reengaged with the fabric and adjusted as before to bring the two edges of the fabric into registration. ihe stitching operation is then continued and the traveling clamp repositioned from time to time until near the other side of the fabric. The stationary wire clamp is then disengaged from the fabric and the table clamp 25 is moved to the other end of the table where it is reeng'aged with the ledge of the'table and the nut 30 is turned off of the screw rod 27 and said rod is withdrawn and replaced on the opposite side of the table clamp so as to reverse the position of the stationary wire clamp, and said wire clamp is then reengaged with the fabric and adjusted as before to complete the registration of'the ends of the fabric, while the traveling wire clamp is moved to a position where it will engage the fabric at a point where the stitching operation has been performed and with a proper degree of tension given to the fabric by the adjustment of the stationary wire clamp by means of nut 30 the stitching operation may be completed to the end of the fabric. As the stitching operation progresses the loop-gag in g wire 33 is drawn through the loops of the stitching wire, having served its purpose of causing the loops of the stitching wire in the overcasting operation to be made uniform and larger than if the stitching wire had been drawn tight around the edges of the fabric without the presence of the loopgaging wire.

With the stitching operation completed it only remains to straighten the fabric by swinging one end thereof within the stitching loops to a position where it lies in the same plane as the other end, and the. stitching loops are of such size because of having been formed around the loop-gaging wire 33 that they will just permit of this operation. hen the seam is stretched and the stitching wire loops are flattened against the fabric there is a slight offset movement of both ends of the fabric in opposite directions which equalizes the slanting position of the parts of the loop on the top and bottom of the seam with the consequent substantial registration of the ends of the fabric, as shown in Fig. 8, the two ends of the fabric lying nearly in abutment with each other, and the seam of the wire thus having nearly the same degree of open mesh as the body thereof and not being materially obstructed by the stitching wire nor having its thickness materially increased by means of the stitching wire. Furthermore the seam as produced by this invention is made without the enlargement of openings in the fabric as with other methods of stitching.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A clamp for use in forming seams of Fourdrinier wires and the like, comprising a suitably mounted stationary jaw member, a movable jaw member having a universal connection therewith, and means for adjusting the movable jaw member toward the sta tionary jaw member and laterally with relation thereto.

2. A clamp for use in forming Fourdrinier wire seams, comprising a stationary jaw member, a movable jaw member having a universal connection therewith, set-screws mounted on the stationary jaw member and engaging the sides of the movable jaw member, and a setscrew for moving the movable jaw member toward the stationary jaw member.

3. A wire clamp for use in making Fourdrinier wire seams and the like, comprising a stationary jaw member, a movable jaw member slidably mounted thereon and having a universal joint connection therewith, means for adjusting the movable jaw member laterally, and means for moving the movable jaw member toward the stationary jaw member.

4. A clamp for use in making Fourdrinier wire seams and the like, comprising a stationary jaw member, a screw rod slidably mounted thereon, a nut threaded on the screw rod for adjusting its position, a movable jaw member having a universal joint connection with the screw rod, means for adjusting the movable jaw member laterally, and means for moving the movable jaw member toward the stationary jaw member.

5. A clamp for use in making Fourdrinier wire seams and the like, comprising a stationary jaw member having a pair of lugs standing up therefrom, a screw rod slidably mounted through the pair of lugs, a nut threaded on the screw rod and positioned between the pair of lugs, said screw rod having a pair of cars at its end, a block pivotally mounted between the pair of ears, a movable jaw member having a pair of ears at its end pivotally connected to the block on an axis at right angles to the pivotal axis between the block and the screw rod, an arch on the stationary jaw member spanning the movable jaw member, set-screws in the sides of the arch engaging the sides of the movable jaw member, a set-screw on the arch engaging the back of the movable jaw member, there being a pocket in the stationary jaw member beneath the arch forming a spring seat, and a coil spring contained within the spring seat and bearing against the movable jaw member.

6. A clamping means for use in forming the seams of Fourdrinier wires and the like, comprising a table having a ledge along the working edge thereof and a guide strip beneath the ledge, a wire clamp slidably mounted 0n the guide strip, and a longitudinally adjustable reversible wire clamp removably secured to the ledge of the table at one end of the working edge thereof and adapted to be secured to the ledge 01 the table at the other end of the working edge thereof.

7. A clamp for use in making Fourdrinier wire seams and the like, comprising a table clamp, a screw rod slidably mounted therein, stationary clamping jaw carried by the screw rod, a spring surrounding the screw rod and engaging the stationary clamping jaw and the table clamp, a nut threaded on the screw rod and engaging the table clamp for adjusting the stationaryjaw member longitudinally, and a movable jaw member carried by the stationary aw member.

8. A clamp for use in making Fourdrinier wire seams and the like, comprising a table clamp having a pair of vertical flanges on the front thereof with angular grooves therethrough, a screw rod angular in cross section fitting within the grooves, cleats confining the screw rod within the grooves, a nut threaded on the end of the screw rod and bearing against the table clamp, a stationary aw member mounted on the end of the screw rod, a coil spring surrounding the screw rod and confined between the stationary jaw member and the table clamp, said screw rod being adapted to be reversed 'in its position in the table clamp, and a movable aw member carried by the stationary jaw member.

9. A clamp for use in making F ourdrinier wire seams and the like comprising a stationary jaw member, a movable jaw member capable of movement toward or away from the stationary jaw member, and means for moving the movable jaw member in the plane of the engaging faces of the jaw members,

- 10. A clamp for use in making Fourdrinier wire seams and the like, comprising a stationary aw member, a movable aw member capable of movement toward or away from the stationary jaw member, means for moving the movable jaw member longitudinally, and means for moving the movable aw member laterally in the plane of the engaging surfaces of the jaw members.

11. A clamp for use in making Fourdrinier wire seams and the like, comprising a stationary aw member, a movable aw mem- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for ber'capable of movement toward or away 7 from the stationary aw member, means for moving the movable jaw member in the plane of the engaging faces of the jaw members, said jaw members being adapted to engage between them the two edges of a wire fabric, and a thin metal plate between the jaw members adapted to fit between the edges of the fabric for permitting free movement of one edge of the fabric on the otherincident to the adjustment of the movable jaw member with relationto'the stationary jaw member. 7 I r 12. A clamp for use in making Fourdrinier wire seams and the like, comprising a jaw member, a cooperating jaw member movable with relation thereto to clamp work between them, and means for moving the co operating aw member in a plane approximately at right angles to its clamping move- 2 ment.

13. A clamp for use in making Fourdrinier wire seams, comprising-an adjustably mounted fixed, jaw member and a cooperating jaw member-movable with relation thereto to clamp the work therebetween, and

means for moving the cooperating jaw member in a plane approximately at right angles to its clamping movement.

14. A clamp for use in making Fourdrinier wire seams and the like, comprising a guide, a aw member movablyv mounted therein, means for ad usting the jaw member in the uide a 006 eratin aw member 7 7 b at right angles to its clamping movement,

and means for moving said cooperating jaw member transversely in a plane at'right angles to its clamping movement;

' In testimony whereof, I aliix my signature, in presence of two witnesses. V

:ALBERT B. EISSIJNBORN;

\Vitnesses: e V 1 V MARGARET 1min SEREN E. SoNNTAo; f

five cents each, by addressing the flommiss ioner of Patents. 7 Washington, D, C. i, V V e V V 

